Switch synchronizing system



Feb.- 7, 1939. G. KINER 2,146,189

SWITCH SYNCHRONIZING' SYSTEM I Filed nec. 22, 1954 k, HpH... N 1...

Inma 117W HEEFT-IE5.

Patented Feb. 7, 1939 PATENT OFFICE SWITCH SYNCHRONIZINGl SYSTEM Glenn Kiner, Park Ridge, Ill., assignor toKellogg Switchboard and Supply Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application December 22, 1934, Serial No. 758,748

3 Claims.

`10 age tanks such as those used by oil refineries have not been particularly satisfactory as it has been necessary to visit eacl'r tank individually and inspect its associated indicator to ascertain the amount of liquid in the tank. The information l5 must then* be relayed tothe central Aoliice or pumping station Which in large reneries may be a considerable distance from the tank inspected which may cause a considerable lapse of time in relaying the information to the central 20 point from-which point the contents of the tank may be controlled. It isan object of my inveno tion to provide a simple, efficient and practical lmeans for lindicating directly at the central point the amount of the contents in the respective g5 tanks.

It is also an object of my invention to provide an indicating system wherein the indicator and the movabley member at the initiating point are always coordinated in their movement. 30 A further object of my invention isthe provision of circuit arrangements whereby the distance betweenthe indicator and the tank is 1nconsequential so that'the same indicator can be used to measure the contents of different tanks. 35' Another object of my invention is the provision in a synchronizing system'of means permitting the severing df the connection between the initial point and the indicator whereby the indicator coordinates itself with the initial member upony 40 their -subsequent reconnection.

Further objects of my invention will be readily apparent from the following specification considered with the accompanying drawing which represents a particular preferred embodiment of 45 my invention. f

To the left of the drawing I indicate a storage tank ST the uctuation in the contents of which is shown upon the indicator I at the right of the PRI which prevents the premature disconnection Y50 drawing -which is located at any desired point by control relay CRI. A disconnect relay DRI and a release magnet RMI are controlled through ofi-normal contacts ONI and protective relay of the indicator. Relays DRI and CRI are provided with copper sleeves to make them slowto 5 release. A control key CKI governs the operation of the system.

A single pair of conductors c-c, shown as dotted lines, connect the apparatus located at the central point with the apparatus located at l the remotely situated storage tank ST. The mechanism located at the central station may be directly and permanently connected to the conductors c-c leading to the storage tank ST or a plug P and jack J or suitable switch mechl anism may be provided to permit the said indicator mechanism to be connected to any one of a number of other pairs of conductors, similar to conductors c--c, leading to other storage tanks.

The equipment located at the tank end of the 'system comprises a float f which moves up or down as the contents of the tank ST increase or decrease. The movement of the float f is transinitted by means of a cable 1c traveling over a pair of pulleys p-p and a reel r secured to a shaft s. A gear g on shaft s engages a second gear ga pivoted at u and provide with a Wiper W associated with a contact bank CB. When the contents of the tank ST decrease the oat f is lowered which causes the cable 1c to rotate the shaft s and gear y 30 in a clockwise direction and the gear ya in a counterclockwise direction. This causes the tip of the wiper W to travel in an upward direction as viewed in the drawing. When the contents of the tank are increased the movement of the parts is reversed. The mechanism shown in the drawing for transmitting the movement of the oat to the wiper is simply one form of many Which can be used and as it does not form a part of applicantsjinvention it is thought unnecessary to describe its construction in more detail. A counterweight CW serves to balance the cable 1c and float f. The contact bank CB may consist of any number of contacts; the one shown in the drawing comprising ten contacts on the tank side.

If the tank ST is ten feet high the wiper arm W will move from one contact to the next upon a rise or fall of one foot in the contents of the tank ST. If the tank is iifty feet high a rise or fall of five feet in the contents of the tank will be necessary to move the wiper W to the next contact in either direction. In actual practice, of course, a suflicient number of contacts will be provided to measure much smaller variations in the contents of the tank. The indicator I is provided with a graduated scale over which an indicating arm IA travels. The action of the indicator arm IA is controlled by a selector-arm or wiper WA co-operating with the bank of contacts before mentioned. Each time the wiper arm WA moves from one contact to the next the indicator arm IA moves to the next graduation on the scale. If the indicator I is associated with a ten foot tank, with the number of -contacts illustrated, each mark on the scale will indicate Van increase or decrease of one foot in the contents of the tank and if the tank ST is a fty footl tank each mark will indicate ve feet. If the indicator I is associated with tanks of different .heights the attendant must be provided'with ay chart or code to determine the meaning of the A,

indication by the indicatorlarm. The controlling factor is that the indicator arm IA moves one step each time the wiper arm WA at the connected tank steps tothe next contact.

The wiper arm WA is associated with contacts electrically connected to the contacts associated with the wiper W and is stepped from contact to contact in the group by a motor magnet MM which in turn is controlled by relays CR and CRA. An eXtra contact BI! is provided in the bank engaged by the wiper WA to control the restoration of the Wiper WA to its zero or normal indicating position. A switching'relay SW is provided and a disconnect relay DR, restoring relay RR and release magnet kRM control the restoration of the switch wiper WA toy normal. The relays CRA, CR and SW are ofthe slow to release type.

The details of the magnet control of the step by step f rfeed and the return set up, of both Wiper WA and indicator arm IA, by motor magnetsMM, and MMI, respectively: release magnets RM and RMI, respectively, and off-normal contacts ON and ONI, respectively, may be those disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 1,520,821 granted to W. Kaisling on December 30, 1924, wherein the like motor magnets, release magnets and oinormal contacts are. identified, as in this application, by reference characters,'MM, RM and N, respectively, and are illustrated in Figure l and described on page 2, lines'l05-135 and page 2, lines l to 95. However I do .not claim these details and I do not consider my invention confined to this particular showing, which is merely cited to show a known means to the end. n My drawing being diagrammatic the various magnets are shown in positions to facilitate the following of the. various circuits controlled, instead of in relation to their mechanical operation which is understood in the art.

' Having generally indicated the character of the equipment I will now describe'the operation of my system as used for a tank gauge. The attendant desiringv to ascertain theamount 'of the .contents of tank ST will place plugP in jack J corresponding to tank ST and operate control Akey CKI thereby closing an energizing circuit for V'control relay CR and relay'PRI which relays operate by current flowing kfrom grounded battery through the coil of control relay CR, normally closedlcontact II of relay RR, conductor C, connected jack J and plug P, normally closed contact I2 of relay CRI, the winding of protective relay PRI, the closed contactof key CKI to ground. The control relay CR closes its contacts I3 an-d I4, contact I3 closes an energizing circuit for the motor magnet MM from grounded battery through the "Winding of magnet MM, conductor I5, alternate contact` I3 of.' CR, to ground at closed contact I6 vconductor 2l), normally closed contact 2| of relay'CRA. The motor magnet MM is energized and attracts its armature I'I to close an energizing circuit for switching relay SW which operates by ciu-rent owing over an obvious circuit. Relay SW attracts its armature I8 to establish a locking circuit for itself through its said contact I8 and alternate contact I4 of relay CR to ground. The closure of alternate contact I of relay SW establishes an energizing circuit for control relay CRI which may be traced from grounded battery through the winding of CRI, of relay DRI, Yplug 1P and jack J, 'conductor C and alternate contact I9 of SW to ground. Relay CRI closes its alternate vContact 8'I to rcause the energization of motor magnet MMI by current flowing over an obvious circuit. .n

Both the motor'magnets MM and MMI are in an energized condition at this time. The closing of alternate contact 22 of relay CRI opens the original energizingcircuit of relays CR and PRI 'but asubstitute circuit for-relay PRI is established and the relay PRI remains renergized by current flowing from grounded battery through resistance 1*, alternate contact 22 of CRI, through theV winding of PRI to Vground aty key CKI. This substitute circuit is established for relay PRI to prevent the premature closing' of contact 23 and anunauthorized restoration to normal.

The opening of the circuit of relay CR causes it to open contacts I3 and I4 thereby opening the circuits of motor magnet MlVI and switch.-

ing relay SW which restorey to normal. The res- -torationto normalof contact I 9,of relay SW opens Vthe energizing circuitof thecontrol relay CRI which restores its contact 8'I to normal to openthe energizing circuitof motor magnet MMI. The motor magnets MM and MMI are of the type in whichthe Vwipers associated therewith step upon the deenergizaton of their' stepping magnets.. The wiper WA associated Vwith the contact bank CB `wi1l now move to the firstcontact of its bank and wiperIAY associated with the indicator I will move to the rst graduation on the scale of the indicator.

cuits for the controlV relay CR and relay PRI and they'again energize as above described to cause The restoration of coni. trol relay CRI reestablishes the energizing cirthe energization of the motor magnets MM and MMI aswell as the subsequent deenergization of the control relay CRI which againlopens the circuits of the relays CR and PRI to cause the deenergization of the motor magnets MM and MMI and the movement of the wipers WA and IA to they second contact and the'second mark on the vcontact 25 of switching 'relay SW, conductor 26, wiper WA, contact bank CB, wiper W to ground. i.

The relay CRA opens normal contactr I6 which prevents the further operation of motor magnet The relay SW restores to normal Vand thereby opens the original venergizing circuit of relay CRA but as-CRAis slow to release a substitute orlocking circuit is established through alternate contact 40 of CRA and normal contact 25 `of SW. Inasmuch as MM does `not operate the switching relay SW cannot operate and the indicator arm IA will remain stationary on'the third y the level corresponding to that position on the Alays thereupon restore rThe disconnect ,alternate contact of scale of the indicator.

The operator noticing the stationary position of the `indicator arm IA will take the reading of the same and by means of the code previously provided may ascertain the amount of the contentsv of the storage tank ST.

To release the apparatus the operator will open the key CKI to cause the deenergization of control relay CR and protective relay PRI which retheir contacts to normal. The restoration to normal of Contact 23 of relay PRI establishes an energizing circuit for the disconnect relay DRI and release magnet RMI which relays are operated by current flowing from battery through their respective windings in parallel,

normal contact 2li of CRI, normal contact 23 of PRI, alternate contact of the off-normal Contact ONI to groundl The off-normal contact ONI is associated with the motor magnet MMI and assumes its alternate position upon the rst movement of the motor magnet MMI. The release magnet RMI energizes and causes the indicator arm IA to restore to its normal position and also restores the off-normal contact ONI to its normal position thereby opening the energizing circuit of the disconnect relay DRI which places all the apparatus at the central point at normal. relay yDRI energizes and attracts its contact 2l to close an energizing circuit for the disconnectrelay DR traced from grounded battery through ythe upper Winding of relay DR, the normal contact I9 of SW, conductor C, jack J, plug P, alternate contact 2| of DRI to ground. Relay DR closes its contact 21 to close a locking circuit for itself through its lower winding and oil-normal contact ON; which contact assumes its alternate position upon the rst energization of the motor magnet MM.

c Relay DR also closes an energizing circuit for reyns lease magnet RM at its alternate contact 28 which magnet operates to cause the Wiper WA to assume its normal position. The release magnet RM also returns the off-normal contact ON to its normal position thereby opening the locking circuit of the disconnect relay DRwhich also restores to normal placing all the apparatus at the tank end of the system in its normal position.

If the contents of the tank ST decrease while the Wiper WA is engaging a particular contact the Wiper W will disengage the contact upon which it was resting and move to the next contact. This will remove ground from the contact upon which wiper WA had been resting. 'I'he removal of ground from the contact engaged by wiper WA opens the energizing circuit of relay CRA which denergizes `and closes normal contact I6 which again causes the energization of motor magnet MM.` pon the energization of magnet MM relays SW and CRI and magnet MMI energize and deenergize as before described.

The alternate energization and deenergization of the motor magnets MM and MMI continues until the last contact in the bank CB is reached by the wiper WA. When the Wiper WA reaches the last contact in its bank an energizing circuit for the relay CRA and the release relay RR is established. This circuit can be traced from the Vbattery through the winding of the relay CRA,

However, as the control key CKI is still in its operated position the apparatus upon its restoration to normal will function as though it was being initially operated and the magnet MM will step the wiper WA to seek the contact which is now grounded and the indicator arm IA will move to the corresponding point on the scale I.

If the contents of the tank ST increase While one contact to the next, one or another of the contacts is grounded at all times but due to the construction of the switch this does not interfere with its operation. As soon as ground is relocate a calling telephone line While the Wiper IA might be located at another exchange and engaging a contact calling line.

While I have shown a particular embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that I do not wish to be limited thereto since many moditherefore desire to cover any such modifications as may come within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent'is:

1. An electric system for indicating at one station conditions at another station and for automatically varying any indication so made if the conditions vary, comprising a bank of electric contacts, means for providing an electric potential for one contact thereof and to shift it in respense to said conditions from one contact to another, in one direction at one time and in the 4 opposite 'direction at anothen a v`selector-wiper shiftable'over said contacts, a shi-ftable indicator arm, means to shif-tsaid .indicator arm and said selector-wiper in synchronism in one direction and to stop both when the latter registers With a potentialized contact, hereby if the potential is shifted in the same direction, the selector-wiper and lindicator arm will follow in the same direction and if the potential is shifted in the opposite direction the selector-wiper and the indicator arm will move in the same direction as before until they reach a new extreme position, and means operating in the latter event to independently return each to a `prior normal position` independently of the shifting means, to thereafter cause said rst means to shift them in synchronism until the selector-wiper reaches the potentialized contact.

2. An electric system for indicating at one station conditions at another station, comprising a bank of electric contacts, means for providing an electric potential for one contact thereof and for shifting said potential from one contact to another in response to said conditions; a control key; a-selector-wiper, means acting upon closing of said control key, to shift said selector-wiper from one contact of said bank, to another; -an indicator arm, means to shift said arm synchronously with said selector-wiper and means to stabilize both when the latter registers with a potentialized contact of said bank, and means operated upon opening of the control key to individually restore said selector-wiper and said indicator arm irrespective of their respective posianales tions at the time, to corresponding, *normall initial or vzero positions.

3. An electric system for indicating at onestation conditions at another station and for vautomatically varying any indication so made if the conditions vary, comprising a bank of electric contacts, means for providing an electric potential for one contact thereof and to shift it in -rei sponse to said conditions from one contact to another, in one direction at one time and in the opposite direction aty another, a selector-wiper shiftable over said contacts, ashiftable indicator arm, `means to shift said indicator arm and said selector-wiper in synchronism in one direction and to stop both when the latter registers with a potentialized contact, whereby if the potential is shifted in the same direction, the selector- Wiperand indicator arm will follow in the same direction and if the potential is shifted in the opposite direction the selector-wiper and the indicator arm will move in the same direction as before until they reach a new extreme position, and means operating in the latter event to independently return .each to a prior normal position independently of the `shifting means, to thereafter cause said i'irst means to shift them in synchronism until the selector-wiper reaches the potentialized contact, a control-key, means whereby said shifting means are rendered operative upon' theclosure of the rkey and means whereby the selector-Wiper and indicator arm arev returned to said normal position upon the opening oi said key.

GLENN KINER. 

